Press Conference Quotes Announcing Head Coach Doug Martin
3/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
This is a great day for our football program. Im so pleased that our entire football team is here, this is whats its all about, its for you men. This has been a very interesting week. It was only one week ago that I received a call from New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick asking for permission to talk to Dean Pees. Within a day, we were embarked upon a major search.
On finding a new coach
We looked at the graduation rate, retention rate and all the things that are happening to Kent State football, which we were very pleased with. Then you look at our on-field performance. We are winning games. In fact over the past three years weve won more then in the past 15 combined. At that point, we turned our attention internally. In my opinion, looking at the turnaround of our offense, going from one of the lowest ranked to one most potent division 1-A offenses, and considering the strong endorsement that we have received from the community and the players here that I felt very strongly that the next head coach should be Doug Martin.
On Head Coach Doug Martin
Im very pleased to announce Doug as our new head football coach. As I indicated, input from our current players was very important in my decision and the respect that they have for him as a person as well as the quality and respect he demands from everyone around him. With his quality and character, he will keep the success going with Kent State.
Head Coach Doug Martin
Opening statement
Id like to thank Dean Pees for the opportunity that he gave me to come here. A year ago at this time we sat down at the airport in Raleigh, I never dreamed it would end up like this.
On the hiring process
The strong support that Mr. Kennedy and Dr. Cartwright have given me and the opportunity to lead you men is a great blessing. Our staff and players. This has been a very humbling experience.
On the state of the program
Coach Pees has left us a wonderful foundation to build on. Number one is the coaching staff and we have one that I really believe in. Number two is character. Its an old football adage that football builds character, which may be true to an extent, I think football exposes character. It lets you look in your heart and see whats really there. Everything that is offered up in football is offered up in life: great disappointment, great elation, hard times and great times. Its all there for you. It exposes what you really are. I think back to last year, the way we opened up against Akron, it exposed whats in our heart. Thats the foundation we are going to hang onto on.
On the administration
Ive had a great opportunity to get to know Mr. Kennedy and Dr. Cartwright. In critical times your administrations heart gets exposed and the way they stood up and were willing to look from within to name their next head coach speaks volumes about this football program. A house divided against itself cant stand. This house is solid and built on rock.
On the football program
Ive got a great vision for this football program. Ive got a vision of Dix Stadium being full and having every seat filled. We are going to have a community ownership of this football program. We are going to reach out to the community of Kent, the surrounding communities, the student body and we are going to get people involved in this program. I want them talking like this is family. We are Kent State.
Coach Martins relationship with the players
These players are the reason Im here. Last year I talked to our offensive players about giving themselves to the coaching staff. They did that, they trusted us and gave themselves to me, and Im looking forward to do that to the whole team now. The players spoke up to Mr. Kennedy about who they wanted their coach to be and weve got to take advantage of it.
